Basics Part 1
This article focuses on providing some insights on a few key points to the young game designers who are just starting out, on how to design their games by using UX from the initiation phase.
There are many reasons to why a game does not perform well, some of which are obvious and could have been controlled like bad graphics,.., while there are some which might be difficult to spot but still play a crucial role in the outcome of the product like player engagement, player retention,..
Some tips on getting started
In the initiation phase, when you are designing a game you need to ‘think like a player’ who will be playing your game and understand what types of emotions and experiences the player will go through while playing it. A good idea would be to start thinking about your targeted audience and ask these questions, how can you make it enjoyable and playable, should it be difficult or easy or challenging, how will you motivate the player to play further?
Answers to the above questions will guide you in the right direction for designing your game. If you are stuck and having difficulty to figure out a solution, a good help here might be to refer the existing successful games of the same genre and understand how the problem was tackled.
During the process you will also understand the key aspects required to make a successful game such as player engagement and player motivation. The right combination of these two aspects combined, will enhance the’ first time user (player) experience (FTUE)’.
Player engagement and player motivation?
The players have a very short attention span when it comes to trying out new games, which means that you have a very short time in which you not only have to create a value of the game in the players mind but, also develop a connection which makes the player come back to the game. It is fairly easy for a player to dismiss a game as ‘not good’ in moments of downloading a new game, if it fails to capture the players attention and interest.
Remember, the FTUE starts immediately as soon as the player is on the store searching for the right game to play.
To understand this aspect of designing better, I have divided the process into three phases below. Each phase is equally important and form a chain reactio
Phase 1
What is the first thing the player sees? It will be your game icon, displayed amongst several other game icons of the same genre. A good game icon is that which stands out from the rest, is attractive enough or simple enough to grab the player’s attention and that which gives an idea to the player on what the game is all about. The good game icon assists the player in selecting a game and also informs the player about the game.
Phase 2
Now the player has selected the most attractive game icon and wants to know more about the game. The next thing that the player will see is the in game screenshots and the description of the game. Make sure that the screenshots displayed are a mix of actual in-game screenshots and marketing screens to inform the player about the key features/elements that make the game unique, friendly to use and what will give the most enjoyable and fun experience. You can emphasise on the in-game features like how many characters are there to unlock, how many levels does the game has, and so on. Use the screenshots to display short one liner messages to help a quick read through for the player.
Phase 3
The player now selects to download your game to play. This is the most complicated and the important phase of FTUE which will decide whether the player will become a player of your game or not. This phase is divided into ‘do’s and don’ts’ below for better understanding..
When the player loads the game to play,
Don’ts
Do not have non skippable or long splash screen loading times. The player does not have the time to go through the splash screens especially if they are not skippable and with long loading times. They would frantically keep tapping the screen to skip in order to get to the game at the earliest.
It is never a good experience to bombard the player with full screen Ads/videos at the start of the game.
Displaying Login Screens at the start of the game.
Having lengthy and complex in-game tutorials for the player to play.
Do’s
Ensure that the player gets to the game as soon as the game is loaded. A good idea would be to merge the publisher and the developer screens with the games title screen.
Use gamified content in game for example, avoid informing the player that a tutorial is in progress. Instead let the player explore the game and display the tutorial as per the players action. Guide the player in interacting with the UI.
Make the icons easy to understand ‘Do not let the player think !’ Make the UI minimalistic, simple and as easy to use and understand. Use the most common icon identification to explain the general functionalities. Do not try to re-invent the wheel by using complex icons which are difficult to understand and remember.
Make the game design in such way that it could be personalised/customised as per the players preference. It can be in terms of players character/vehicles, use of wallpapers, player avatars, in-game controls,..etc This helps in creating a sense of control and engagement in the player.
To understand player motivation, you need to get a good grasp on the gamification content and how to use them. Let’s look at a few gamification elements which can be used for motivation..
Leaderboards – This is a good way for keep the player engaged and motivated as it nourishes the competitiveness in the player.
Achievements – This is a good way to fuel the players pride in providing a feeling of accomplishment. The achievements need to be strategically created so that they are achievable, motivating and awarded when a task in game has been successfully accomplished.
Unlockables – Besides having in app purchase, you can also have unlockables which are free and are unlocked based on the players loyalty for playing the game for certain number of days or are even unlocked after completing certain levels/objectives.
Immersive story line (with some humour if possible) – It is just as important to have an immersive story line for the player to follow in the game. It creates ‘Anticipation’ which is one of the key factors to a successful game. There is a certain curiosity that an immersive story line of a game creates, which attracts and makes the player want to play right till the end to know what will happen next or how will it end.
Loading times – Have few and short loading screens which will help in keeping the player focused on the game and not cause unwanted distraction during gameplay.
The above are just a few examples/pointers on how to get the right FTUE in place by keeping a check on player engagement and player motivation.
Please note, implementing UX in no ways guarantees the success of a game/product but definitely puts it in the right direction moving forward.
The take away
The players have a short attention span when trying out new games and in order to use this short time to its fullest potential, a lot can be achieved with the correct UX in place from the initiation phase. While designing, the game designers should keep in mind their targeted audience, the importance of icons, player engagement and motivation, and the FTUE which will make or break the game.
Remember, mobile players have little time, using that time most effectively is what counts. The best value a player gives to a game is when it provides quality experience in a short time without the player having to stress. A mobile gamer looks out for the following main points in a game - fun, quick access, easy to understand and use.
"These are the initial drafts of the articles. I am working on getting the content finalised for publishing."